Adjustable compensator for registering meters



F. W. GUIBERT ADJUSTABLE COMPENSATOR FOR REGISTERING METERS Filed June 22, 1951 May 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l IA/VC/S WAL 7E2 60/5597;

IN V EN TOR.

May 12, 1953 F. w. GUIBIMIRT 2,638,008

ADJUSTABLE COMPENSATOR FOR REGISTERING METERS Filed June 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .FAI/VCAS 14/11. 75/2 GU/BEQZ, INVEN TOR.

Patented May 12, 1953 OFFICE ADJUSTABLE COMPENSATOR FOR REGISTERING METERS Francis W. Guibert, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 22, 1951, Serial No. 233,036

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to metering, and particularly to meters that are provided with indicating or recording registers.

Meters, such as those measuring the flow of electricity, gas, water, or the like, are now in extensive use. Although such meters are carefully designed to operate accurately, normally it is necessary to calibrate them, or to apply a correction factor.

It is one of the objects of this invention to make it possible readily to compensate for errors, so that the register or dial will indicate or record accurately.

It is another object of this invention to make it possible to adjust the correction factor in a simple and accurate manner.

In order to accomplish these results, there is interposed between the meter and the indicator or register an adjustable ratio motion transmitting device that can be set at any value within limits, say, from a ratio of .8 to a ratio of 2.0. These limits are ample to include any correction factor that might possibly be required for compensation.

Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a simple and effective device of this character, preferably in the form of a cone and belt transmission, in which the position of the belt along the cones determines the ratio of transmission.

It is still another object of this invention to ensure that, in such transmitting mechanisms, the belt is prevented from being displaced along the conical surfaces after its position has been adjusted.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown a few forms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of an apparatus incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a further modification of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the apparatus.

In the form of the invention illustrated in- Figs. 1 and 2, a meter I is shown as driving a register 2. This meter 1 may measure the fiow' of electricity, water, gas, or the like, and has a shaft 3 intended to operate the register 2.

Interposed between the meter and the register is a compensating device by the aid of which the ratio of transmission from the shaft 3 to the register shaft 4 may be adjusted within relatively narrow limits.

For this purpose, there are a pair of conical members 5 and 6 having parallel axes l and 8 of rotation. The conical surfaces of these members have the same slope. These conical menubers may be appropriately supported in antifriction bearing structures 9, 10, II, and I2 supported in a frame l3. The conical member 5 may be directly connected to the shaft 3 of the meter, and the conical member 6 may be connected, as by a coupling member hi, to the shaft 4 of the register 2.

The conical members 5 and 6 are so arranged that the large end of the conical member 5 is adjacent the small end of the conical moi-.-

ber B.

A belt l5 of round cross section, and made of leather, rubber, or other flexible material, engages both conical surfaces. The belt I5 is shown, in this instance, as at intermediate position, in which the ratio of transmission from the member 5 to the member 6 is substantiallly unity. When the belt I5 is in the upper phantom-line position, the ratio of drive is greater than unity. Movement of the belt [5 upwardly, therefore, as viewed in Fig. 1, increases by infinite increments the ratio of transmission; and, similarly, the movement of the belt l5 downwardly decreases the ratio of transmission. By moving the belt l5 either up or down from the neutral position indicated, a compensation is efiected corresponding to the ratio of tran mission between the two conical members 5 and 6. To facilitate installation and removal of the belt l5, these members are rounded at the ends.

The belt shifting mechanism includes a pair of rollers l6 and I! provided, respectively, with grooves I8 and I9. These grooves, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, are arranged to contact thebelt at the extreme outside elements wand 2| of the conical surfaces. Due to the parallelism of the axes I and 8, and to the uniformity of the slope, these outer elements are parallel to each other, but transverse to these axes.

Mechanism is provided for moving these rollers i6 and IT in a direction parallel to these extreme outside elements. This is accomplished by the aid of a lead screw 22 which engages an internally threaded :boss 23 mounted on a carriage 26. This carriage '24, as described hereinafter, resiliently supports the rollers 16 and H.

The lead screw 22 is rotatably mounted in appropriate bearings 25 and 26 supported on the frame I3. It carries a calibrated wheel T217 cooperating with a stationary pointer 23 mounted on the frame (3. In this way, the adjustment of the carriage 24 may be accurately :efiected.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the carriage 24 has an opening 29 to permit the passageof the conical members and at. Flanges 3t and 3| areiformedat theopposite edges of {this carriage. A guide post 32 extends between the .arms :of the frame i3 to guide :the carriage it} in its movement upon operation of the lead screw 22.

The grooved .roller lie is .rotatably mounted upon a stationary pivot pin 33 attached, .as :by way of a ifiat spring it, to the carriage 2 6. This flat spring 36 urges the roller it in :3, direction to engage the b'elt IE5.

A similarly arranged spring 35 supports the pin 36 :upon which the roller ii is rotatably mounted.

Since the rollers it and i engage the :belt 195:5 at the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces, the belt is effectively restrained against sliding upwardly anddownwardly along the conical surfaces. In this way, the ratio of transmission is maintained at the desired -preset value, as indicated by the pointer 28. Any deviation of the belt l t at places where the rollers t6 and 11''! do not engage the "belt #5 has no effect upon the accuracy of this ratio, for it is at these engaging points where the drive actually occurs.

in the form shown in Fig. '3, the roller it! is shown as pivotal-1y mounted upon the pin t8, and as having an axis of rotation parallel with the extreme outside elements =28. A spring support 39, as before, urges the roller ti to belt engaging position. In other respects, this form of the invention is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It is understood, however, that the right-hand grooved roller is similarly ;mounted for free rotation 'on 'an axis parallel to the extreme outside element 21 In the forms hereinbefore described, 'the'movement of the belt shifter over the carriage E 1 and the grooved rollers, such as 15 and H, is'in a direction parallel to the outside elements '20 and. 2|. 'In the jform shown in Fig. 4, the movement of'the *belt shifter is in a direction "parallelto the axes of rotation of the conical members.

In the form shown in Figs. :4, 5, and '6, the conical members ill and M are mounted for rotation in ,a frame 62, as by appropriate roller or ballbearings. The driving cone iii! may be connected, as "before, "to a meter, and the other cone member!!! maybe connected'to a register, or the like.

A round belt f3 engages the conical members to and M "Shifting of the belt ts in this instance is accomplis'hed "by'theg'aid "of a carriage 34. .This carriage W4 "has a central boss "45 engagedby a 4 lead screw 46. The axis of the lead screw is parallel with the axes of rotation of the members 40 and iii. The lead screw ie is appropriately supported by bearings in the frame t2 and, as before, carries a calibrated wheel ii. This wheel 4? cooperates with a stationary pointer it.

The carriage M which forms a support for the shifter is restrained against rotary movement by the aid of its bosses s9 and til that engage the lower surfaces of the cross strips 5! and 52.

At the right-hand side of the carriage M, a pair of arms 53 are pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the ear 55, as by the bearing screws 5t passing through these ears. At an intermediate portion of the arms 53 there is a grooved roller .51 .(see, also, Fig. 6) which is pivotally mounted on a pin 58.

A similar pair of arms 59) are mounted at the left-hand side of the carriage s-t. They are pivotally mounted upon the ear of carriage (it- 1%. grooved rbller similar to grooved roller 57?, engages the belt The places of engagement, .as shown most clearly in Fig. 5, are at the extreme outside elements of the conical m mbers ill and M.

this instance, the rollers and are urged toward belt engaging position by the aid of a tension spring which is hooked over the pinsidii and t5 arranged at the lower extremities ofgthe arms 5.? and :59.

As the lead screw is rotated, the arms and 59 assume different angular positions. However, both :the arms and are urged to belt engaging positions, and the belt at either rides up, as viewed in Fig. 4, or downwardly. in this *way, the :ratio of transmission between the driving conical member to and the driven conical member it! may be adjusted to any extent between limits.

-ilihe inventor claims:

ii. In a :compensating devi e for meters of the indicating, recording, or re 2 pair of cones having parallel large end of one cone being adjacent the small nd of the other cone; a flexible belt engaging both cones; a bel shifter having a pair rolling members, each member respectively engaging the belt substantially at the extreme outside elements of cones; said belt shifter provisions for resiliently urging the members to belt engaging position; means for moving the belt .shifter. 1

2. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: a pair of cones having parallel axes of rotation, the large and of one cone being adjacent the small end of the other cone; a flexible 'beit having a round section engaging the cones; a belt shifter havinga pair of grooved rollers, the grooves of which respectively engage the 'belt at the .extreme outside elements of the cones; said belt shifter havin provisions for resiliently urging the IQHGr SftO;blt engaging position; and means fonmoving the belt shifter in a direction parallel to said elements.

3. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: apair of -conical=members having surfaces of the same slope; means for rotata'oly supporting said members onparallel-axes so that the'large end of one member is *adjacent thesmail end of the-other member; =afiexib1e be1t engaging the members; a belt shifter having a pairof grooves respectively engaging the belt substantially at the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces; said belt shifter having provisions for resiliently urging the rollers to belt engaging position; and means for moving said shifter.

4. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: a pair of conical members having surfaces of the same slope; means for rotatably supporting said members on parallel axes so that the large end of one member is adjacent the small end of the other member; a flexible belt of round cross section engaging the members; a belt shifter having a pair of grooved rollers respectively engaging the belt substantially at the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces, the axes of the rollers being parallel to said elements; said belt shifter having provisions for resiliently urging the rollers to belt engaging position; and means for moving said shifter in a direction parallel to said elements.

5. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: a pair of conical members having surfaces of the same slope; means for rotatably supporting said members on parallel axes so that the large end of one member is adjacent the small end of the other member; a flexible belt engaging the members; a carriage; a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the carriage on axes parallel to the axes of rotation of the members; means carried by the arms for respectively engaging the belt at substantially the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces; means resiliently urging the arms respectively toward the corresponding member; and means for moving the carriage.

6. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: a pair of conical members having surfaces of the same slope; means for rotatably supporting said members on parallel axes so that the large end of one member is adjacent the small end of the other member; a flexible belt of round cross section; a carriage; a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the carriage on axes parallel to the axes of rotation of the members; grooved rollers respectively carried by the arms for engaging the belt at substantially the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces; means resiliently urging the arms respectively toward the corresponding member; and means for moving the carriage.

'7. In a compensating device for meters of the indicating, recording, or registering type: a pair of conical members having surfaces of the same slope; means for rotatably supporting said members on parallel axes so that the large end of one member is adjacent the small end of the other member; a flexible belt of round cross section; a carriage; a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the carriage on axes parallel to the axes of rotation of the members; grooved rollers respectively carried by the arms for engaging the belt at substantially the extreme outside elements of the conical surfaces; a spring joining the arms to urge them toward each other; and means for moving the carriage.

FRANCIS W. GU'IBERT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 594,622 Harton Nov. 30, 1897 1,063,410 Bixby June 3, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,938 Great Britain 1912 

